Switch stand and lock



(No Model.) v

J. G. SORENSON.

SWITCH STAND AND LOCK.

No. 598,751. Patented Feb. 8, 1 9

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JOHN G. SORENSON, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA.

SWITCH STAND AND LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 598,751, dated February8, 1898. Application filed September 13, 1897. Serial No. 651,535. illomodelJ To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN G. SORENSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Davenport, in the county of Scott and State of Iowa, haveinvented a new and useful Switch Stand and Look, of which the followingis a specification.

My invention relates to switch-stands, and particularly to means inconnection therewith for securing the switch-lever in its severaladjusted positions; and the object in view is to provide a simple andefficient construction and arrangement of locking device and cooperatingparts whereby the effective engagement of the switch-lever is insured,whereby the locking device is protected from accumulations of dust andfrom moisture and at the same time is readily accessible for purposes ofrepair and adjustment, and whereby said locking device is capable ofmanipulation, adapting the switch-lever to be successively operated tomove the switch-rails to different positions without successiveoperations of the lock-key.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in thefollowing description, and the novel features thereof will beparticularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a switch,- stand constructed inaccordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 3is a plan view of the table. Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view takenparallel with the switch-lever pivot and through the lock mechahism.Fig. 5 is alongitudinal sectional View of the head. Fig. 6 is a detailview of the lock-shield detached. Fig. 7 is a detail View of the boltdetached.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawm s.

The table 1, which may be supported by any suitable frame 2,constituting the body por-- tion of the stand, is provided with lateralnotches 3 and an intermediate notch 4 for engagement by a switch-lever5,pivotally moun ted upon a head 6, which is secured to the switch shaftor spindle 7, having the usual crank 8. The switch-head 6, which iskeyed to the switch-shaft 7, is arranged to traverse the table 1 and isof a length greater than a radius of said table in order to projectterminally beyond the periphery thereof, and in the under side of thehead is formed a longitudinal switch-lever seat 9, in alinement withwhich the contiguous portion of the switchlever may be arranged when itis desired to turn the switch shaft or spindle. The switchlever isextended beyond its pivot 10 to form a beveled or rounded tougue 5 andcooperating with this tongue and adapted to secure the switch-lever inits pendent position in engagement with one of the notches of the tableis a locking device having a bolt 11. This bolt is mounted for verticalmovement and is adapted when depressed, as shown in Figs. 4. and 5, tooccupya position in the path of the terminal tongue 5 of theswitch-lever, said bolt being yieldingly held in its depressed positionpreferably by an actuating-spring 12. It willbe seen, however, that byreason. of the position of the bolt it is also adapted. to be held-inengagement with the tongue of the switch-lever by gravity, whereby incase of injury to or breakage of the actuating-spring the bolt is stillcapable of performing the function for which it is designed.

, The bolt forming the essential element of the locking device isprovided with a guidearm 13, slotted, as at 1 1, to slide upon aguide-pin 15, and said arm terminates in a lug 16,forming a beveledshoulder for engagement by the wing 17 of a removable key 18. key, whichis inserted through a suitable opening in the front wall of thelock-casing 19, is adapted to be turned to cause the pressure of itswing 17 toelevate the bolt, and thus remove it from the path oftheswitchlever; but in orderthat said bolt may be suspended in' itsinoperative position to allow successive manipulations of theswitch-lever I have provided said, shoulder with a notch or depression20, adapted to receive the extremity of the wing 17 when the key hasbeen turned sufficiently to raise the bolt. Obviously when the key is inposition to support the bolt in a disengaged or inoperative posi tionits wing is outof alinement with the keyhole 21 in the lock-casing,andhence in order to remove the key it is necessary to release the bolt,and thus allow it to resume its normal or operative position.Thereforethe bolt cannot be left by a careless operator in its dis- Thisengaged position. Also the rear side of the projecting portion or noseof the bolt is rounded to provide for the repression of the bolt by themovement of the switch-lever toward its pendent or normal position inengagement with one of the notches of the table.

In order to protect the lock and at the same 1 time facilitate itsremoval and allow access thereto for purposes of repair, I preferablyincase it in a shield 22, mounted upon the upper side of the head andprovided with securing-ears 23 and 24:, fastened by means of suitabledevices,such as screws 25,to the head. This shield is provided in itsfront side in alinement with the keyhole 21 with a correspending opening26.

From the above description it will be seen that when the locking-bolt istemporarily secured in its inoperative position the switchlever may bemoved to its operative position in alinement with the head and out ofengagement with the notches of the table to allow the desired adjustmentof the switchspin'dle, and that even after releasing said lever andallowing it after adjustment of the switch to drop into one of thenotches of the table it may be subsequently manipulated to return theswitch to its former or a second adjusted position without furtheroperation of the lock mechanism; but the removal of the key from thelock releases the bolt, and thus allows the extension of the latter intothe path of the extremity of the lever, whereby when the lever issubsequently dropped into engagement with a notch of the table it islocked against disengagement.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details ofconstruction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. The combination with aswitch-head and apivotal switch-lever, of alocking device having a boltmounted for vertical sliding movement, and yieldingly held in adepressed position for engagement with the switch-lever, and means fortemporarily securing said bolt in an elevated or disengaged position,substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a switch-head and a pivotal switch-lever, of alocking device having a bolt yieldingly held in operative en gagei mentwith the switch-lever, and having a notched shoulder for engagement bythe wing of a bolt-operating key when the bolt is retracted, whereby thebolt may be temporarily secured in its retracted position, substantiallyas specified.

3. The combination with a switch-head and 'a pivotal switch lever, of alocking bolt mounted for Vertical sliding movement and yieldingly heldin a depressed position in the path of the switch-lever, said bolt beingprovided with a notched shoulder, and a removable key for insertionthrough a keyhole in the bolt-casing, and provided with a wing forengagement with said notched shoulder of the bolt, when the latter iselevated, the keyhole in the bolt-casin g being out of alinement withthe key-wing when the latter is in engagement with-said shoulder,substantially as specified.

4E. The combination with aswitch-head and a pivotal switch-lever, theformer being provided with a longitudinal switch-lever seat and acommunicating vertical opening, of a locking device having its casingfitted in said vertical opening, and provided with a vertically slidingbolt yieldingly held in a depressed position in the path of aswitch-lever, and a lock-shield closing the vertical opening in theswitch-head and detachably secured to the latter, substantially asspecified.

5. The combination with a switch-head and a pivotal switch-lever, theformer being provided with a switch-lever seat and a communicatin gvertical opening, of a locking device having its casing fitted in saidvertical opening and provided with a vertically-sliding bolt, yieldinglyheld in its depressed position in the path of the switch-lever, aseparable lock-shield inclosing the upperportion of the lock-casing andprovided in one of its walls with a key-opening registering with acorresponding opening in the lock-casing, and means for detachablysecuring said lockshield to the switch-head, substantially as specified.

6. In a switch-stand, the combination with a peripherally-notched table,of a swinging switch-head mounted to traverse said table and extendingterminally beyond the periphery thereof, said switch-head being providedin its under side with a switch-lever seat, a switch-lever pivotallymounted in said seat for engagement with the said notches of the table,and provided beyond its pivot with an extension forming a beveledtongue, a locking device including a yieldingly-actuated bolt normallyarranged in the path of said tongue of the switch-lever, a removableboltactuating key adapted for making a complete revolution in thecasing, and concealed means for temporarily securing said key in anintermediate position to maintain the locking-bolt out of the path ofthe switch-lever whereby the key cannot be withdrawn while the bolt isretracted, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. S'ORENSON.

Witnesses:

DELOS R. BOYDSTON, GEO. E. I-IUBBELL.

